Damontae Kazee returns to Steelers following suspension, but will he get his job back?

Perhaps nobody was happier to walk through the doors at UPMC Rooney Sports Complex on Monday morning than Damontae Kazee.

With the Pittsburgh Steelers getting the help they needed to make the playoffs, it represented a second chance for Kazee, the veteran safety who became eligible to return following a three-game suspension.

Instead of returning from his home in California to clean out his locker, Kazee arrived getting ready to face the Buffalo Bills on Sunday afternoon in an AFC wild-card matchup.

“It felt good,” Kazee said about his return from exile. “I got my job back.”

It might not be as simple as that. In Kazee’s absence — and an injury to Minkah Fitzpatrick — the Steelers turned to converted cornerback Patrick Peterson and journeyman Eric Rowe to occupy the safety spots during a season-ending run that produced three consecutive wins.

Once Fitzpatrick is cleared to return, he’ll be back at free safety. But given the way Peterson and Rowe have played, coach Mike Tomlin may be reluctant to give Kazee his job back.

“Wherever they put me at, that is where I’m playing,” Kazee said. “I don’t care if I’m on special teams. I’m going to be around the ball regardless.”

The Steelers had a roster exemption for Kazee during his three-game absence. It expires Wednesday, meaning someone will need to be cut to make for his return to the 53-man roster.

Kazee was suspended for the postseason and the final three games of the season for his hit that left Indianapolis Colts receiver Michael Pittman with a concussion. But after he met with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and appealed his penalty, it was determined Kazee could return for the postseason.

The question, then, was whether the Steelers would qualify. When Kazee was suspended, the Steelers were 7-7 following a three-game losing streak.

“They did a terrific job,” he said. “I wouldn’t change anything if I’m running it. The defense looks good, the offense looks good, we made it here. Now, we just have to win.”

Kazee, who was ejected from the game following his hit on Pittman, is firm that he didn’t deserve to be suspended. He lost $208,333 in salary on top of the $59,030 in fines levied for five unnecessary roughness calls earlier in the season.

In addition to having a say in front of an NFL appeals officer, he met with Goodell to explain his position.

“They understood me, and I understood them,” he said. “At the end of the day, they were trying to protect me. It wasn’t from helmet-to-helmet (hits) with other players, it was about protecting myself. That was what they were looking off.”

Kazee returned to his California home and spent the holidays with his family while watching the Steelers from afar.

“You always want to go out there and battle with your brothers, win or lose,” he said. “It was kind of hard for me.”

Kazee was asked whether his teammates sent him any congratulatory texts for being eligible to return for the postseason.

“No, I congratulated them,” he said. “Come on, they looked good the past three weeks. You’ve got Mason Rudolph, Eric Rowe, Pat Pete filling in at free safety. They looked great.”